Got solar? Learn from homeowners on free Illinois Solar Tour Saturday: Park Ridge, Morton Grove, 33 towns
Andrew Hoffman considers himself an environmentalist. His Morton Grove yard is covered in native plants, he composts food scraps and drives an electric car, a Chevrolet Bolt to be precise. Now, he’s looking to replace his furnace with a heat pump, an electric alternative that will be more efficient and have a smaller carbon footprint.
Hoffman is happy to talk about the 17 solar panels he has on his roof, and he will be allowing anyone interested to ask him questions during Saturday’s Illinois Solar Tour. It’s a free event in which anyone interested can visit solar-powered homes in more than 35 suburbs and cities, view the solar installations and chat with homeowners.
The solar tour, taking place Sept. 30 this year, is hosted annually by the nonprofit Illinois Solar Education Association. The group is based in La Grange Park, but homeowners, businesses and nonprofit groups from all over the state are inviting viewers to see their solar panels. The tours will be either in-person, online, or hybrid, depending on the location.
Hoffman said that when he put up the solar panels in 2013, solar panels were more expensive. He estimates that the full cost of the panels was around $18,000 back then. Now he says, more interest in solar energy and support from the government have made them more affordable.
“My nephew just called me yesterday and he’s getting a big system put on his [home],” said Hoffman. “For his system, I think it was 26 panels, was for $40,000. With all the [tax] credits and everything back, what he would out of pocket pay would be like $9,000.”
Hoffman said it took 10 years for his panels to “pay for themselves,” meaning that the savings on his utility bill was greater than the price of the panels and the installation. With a 25-year warranty and no maintenance needed for them, Hoffman said the decision to go solar is a “no-brainer.”
Even in cases where a homeowner might sell their home before the panels start paying for themselves, Hoffman said going solar is still worth it. “A lot of times, if you sold the house that next year, you can get that money back just in the value of that house — just because people want solar more and more.”
In the summer months, Hoffman said his panels overproduces so much electricity that he’s able to sell the surplus back to ComEd for a credit. When the cold, cloudy winter months roll around, the panels don’t provide as much electricity, but his credits are what cover his utility bills for that time frame, allowing him to get by without paying for electricity.
Over in Park Ridge, Kenneth Doody is also getting prepared for his in-person tour this weekend. Doody says he grew concerned about nonrenewable energy because it’s not sustainable for the long haul.
Doody started out with 13 panels on the roof of his home in 2009 , and he said they haven’t paid for themselves quite yet. They might not even do so until their life expectancy ends after 20 years. “It’s not a great investment for me, but I figured, [I’m] trying to contribute to the environment,” he said.
Doody said he paid $28,000 for the panels, but got $14,000 from the state and federal government. In the past six months, Doody had 12 more panels installed on his garage roof, and he said he paid $14,000 for those, getting $7,000 back from the state and federal government. He expects the newer, cheaper, more efficient panels on his garage to pay for themselves in about 10 years.
Tours will be available in Evanston, Glenview, Naperville, Elgin, Arlington Heights, Deerfield, Elmhurst, Gurnee, Grayslake, Highland Park, La Grange Park, Libertyville, Northbrook, Wheaton, Woodridge and Oak Park — more than 35 suburbs around Chicagoland.
